Preparing for a Camping Trip: The Must-Have Portable Fridge

Not all of us campers are the same. Some of us are only in it for the adventure, so we don’t mind living civilisation behind, whereas others like staying in touch with nature but still having some of the comfort they have at home, and it’s all fine. Regardless of which group you fall into, you have to agree there are camping accessories that deserve to be called essentials.

The portable fridge freezer is one of them. Sure, you might improvise for a couple of days, relying on frozen veggies to keep other foods cool, but if you want to be on the road longer without the worry of food poisoning, then getting a fridge that doubles as a freezer is a must. The variety that camp specialised stores and suppliers offer is vast so you can choose based on your touring style and budget.

If you’re planning on going off grid, to the Australian regions that are known for the continuous hot weather throughout the day, then you won’t go wrong by choosing compressor fridge, as it can reach up to 50°C below the ambient temperature.

On the plus side too, this type of portable fridge freezer is famous for the compact design (it can even fit between seats), extremely low power draw, quick cooling method, and the capacity, as well as the handy features like interior light, can/cup holders, and seatbelt for secure driving.

Though the absorption fridges, also known as three way, have gained popularity with their cheap run on gas, they have a drawback and you’re not going to like it: they have trouble reaching cool temperatures when the weather is hot, and even switching them to 12V won’t help, instead you can get empty car battery if you decide to charge them which means you’d have to carry enough gas with you to power them for the whole trip.

There’s also the eutectic portable fridge that works basically the same as compressor fridges, with the difference in how it is powered, so unlike the conventional need for gas powering, the eutectic plates, hollow tubes, or beams they consist of are charged by off-peak electricity, a dual battery system. Apart from this cost-efficiency in charging, they can keep the food cool for long periods.

If you want to make the most of the purchase, and consider it money well spent, you have to think of how the fridge you buy is going to be supplied with the much-needed power, so it can be the decisive factor, along with money and camping style, that would make you decide which to get of the three.